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Democracy has a cycle and changes are needed

Posted: March 28, 2011 - 7:22pm

DEMOCRACY HAS A CYCLE AND CHANGES ARE NEEDED

Alexander Tyler, a Scottish historian, wrote a treatise in 1787 titled, “The Cycle of Democracy.” You can find it on the Internet. Tyler observed that a democracy can not exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters (Congress?) discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasury.

From that time on, the majority always vote for candidates promising the most money from the public treasury with the result that a democracy has always collapse over lose fiscal policy.

Tyler continues by pointing out that the average age of the world’s great civilizations has been approximately 200 year and progresses through nine states. It appears that the United States is somewhere between the eighth and ninth states.

Can anything be done to slow or stop the progress of these stages? Yes, if we are willing to make major changes:

1. Congressional term limits. Congress was quick to limit the president’s terms of office after World War II, but not themselves. This could have the advantage of breaking the seniority system in Congress, and allowing much more new blood to enter Congress who might be more interested in the nation rather than local aggrandizement.

2. Cap pre-election money and length. This would have the tendency to level the playing field and allow many more candidates to run for office.

3. A revised tax code. Make it for all without loop holes.

4. English as our national language. This should have the tendency to unite our country, as Webster’s dictionary did in our early history.

5. Citizenship. It should be limited to those born in the United States from parents who are citizens. This appeared to be a quirk in our Constitution which it is time to rectify.